Shortly after doing my mini book review of Eat Pray Love, I found out (thanks to Bridget), that Elizabeth Gilbert's coming to town! And there's gonna be an "In Conversation" session with her at Cardogan Hall. I asked M and Jos if they were interested but for some reason or another, they couldn't make it and I was left debating if I should just go alone anyway. Which I did because how often do I get that excited about a book and to find out the author's coming your way? So then I signed up and paid GBP20 for my ticket.
Before I rushed off from work, I told Askar and Cyrus where I was going and they were shocked. They cannot imagine going for such an event plus having to pay for it. "Twenty quid?!" was their reaction. When they asked me what book was it, I answered "Eat Pray Love", and they were appalled. They said maybe (just maybe!) if the book's called Eat Eat Eat, they would be interested. hahaha these guys!! Just don't appreciate such things. They're so funny, you gotta love my team mates.
As you can imagine, this was almost an all women's session (sold out event btw!). I cannot imagine any guy reading Eat Pray Love so I was surprised to see some guys tonight in Cardogan Hall. (To be fair, I think they were there accompanying their partners.) So then Liz Gilbert and the interviewer came up on stage and started their interview, which was more of a conversation between them. Very casual, light hearted, and above all, inspirational.
She spoke of how her love for writing started, how she grew up in a farm in Conneticut with no TV and only books to read, which moulded her love for writing. She encouraged budding writers to send their works to publishing houses without having to feel shy, and should hound them until they "have no choice but to publish your book". Haha I like they way she makes it sound. It's said that success found her after her book, and she spoke of the upcoming movie and how it impacted her life. Funnily, she is glad that now the spotlight is on Julia Roberts being Liz Gilbert, and that she can slowly go back to her own life, going about doing her own thing. She told the audience how she and her husband requested to watch the film on their own, just the 2 of them because she didn't want to have a plastered face in front of everyone else. So their request was granted and the film producers sat outside the theatre like schoolkids outside a principal's office. She said the moment Julia Roberts opened the movie saying "I am Liz Gilbert, and I am a journalist from New York", she nearly flipped coz it's too bizarre. The saddest thing was 'Richard from Texas', her dear friend whom she met in the ashram in India, passed away a few weeks before the film came out, so he didn't get to watch it. Midway, her husband turned to her whispering "I actually think it's good" and she had to whispered back, "I think so too" almost afraid they were being eavesdropped. This is Liz Gilbert for you.
After Committed, her latest book, she confirmed this would be the last book she's gonna publish. She's happy where she is now, in a little town in New Jersey with her husband. Doing gardening. haha
She ended off with a precious lesson her mum told her when she was in her teens. Her mum used to work in a centre counseling girls who were considering going for abortions. And what she told those girls was something to the effect that "No matter what your decision is today, promise me that in the future when you look back, you will not hate or blame yourself for the path you chosen because you didn't know more than you do today." (yes you have to re-read this and digest it, like what I did.. I kept playing it over in my mind before I got it.) And this is something which she has clung on to in her life. How precious.
Opens here in the UK next week
After the talk was the book signing session. I grabbed her latest book Committed, and like many others, brought my dog-eared Eat Pray Love for her to sign. I shook her hand and told her how much I love her book before going away feeling excited like how a schoolgirl has met her idol. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed so I couldn't take any of her. But of course you could have a look at...
I cannot wait to watch the movie now. Girls, if you don't wanna read her book, I would suggest you at least watching the movie!
Before I rushed off from work, I told Askar and Cyrus where I was going and they were shocked. They cannot imagine going for such an event plus having to pay for it. "Twenty quid?!" was their reaction. When they asked me what book was it, I answered "Eat Pray Love", and they were appalled. They said maybe (just maybe!) if the book's called Eat Eat Eat, they would be interested. hahaha these guys!! Just don't appreciate such things. They're so funny, you gotta love my team mates.
As you can imagine, this was almost an all women's session (sold out event btw!). I cannot imagine any guy reading Eat Pray Love so I was surprised to see some guys tonight in Cardogan Hall. (To be fair, I think they were there accompanying their partners.) So then Liz Gilbert and the interviewer came up on stage and started their interview, which was more of a conversation between them. Very casual, light hearted, and above all, inspirational.
She spoke of how her love for writing started, how she grew up in a farm in Conneticut with no TV and only books to read, which moulded her love for writing. She encouraged budding writers to send their works to publishing houses without having to feel shy, and should hound them until they "have no choice but to publish your book". Haha I like they way she makes it sound. It's said that success found her after her book, and she spoke of the upcoming movie and how it impacted her life. Funnily, she is glad that now the spotlight is on Julia Roberts being Liz Gilbert, and that she can slowly go back to her own life, going about doing her own thing. She told the audience how she and her husband requested to watch the film on their own, just the 2 of them because she didn't want to have a plastered face in front of everyone else. So their request was granted and the film producers sat outside the theatre like schoolkids outside a principal's office. She said the moment Julia Roberts opened the movie saying "I am Liz Gilbert, and I am a journalist from New York", she nearly flipped coz it's too bizarre. The saddest thing was 'Richard from Texas', her dear friend whom she met in the ashram in India, passed away a few weeks before the film came out, so he didn't get to watch it. Midway, her husband turned to her whispering "I actually think it's good" and she had to whispered back, "I think so too" almost afraid they were being eavesdropped. This is Liz Gilbert for you.
After Committed, her latest book, she confirmed this would be the last book she's gonna publish. She's happy where she is now, in a little town in New Jersey with her husband. Doing gardening. haha
She ended off with a precious lesson her mum told her when she was in her teens. Her mum used to work in a centre counseling girls who were considering going for abortions. And what she told those girls was something to the effect that "No matter what your decision is today, promise me that in the future when you look back, you will not hate or blame yourself for the path you chosen because you didn't know more than you do today." (yes you have to re-read this and digest it, like what I did.. I kept playing it over in my mind before I got it.) And this is something which she has clung on to in her life. How precious.
Opens here in the UK next weekAfter the talk was the book signing session. I grabbed her latest book Committed, and like many others, brought my dog-eared Eat Pray Love for her to sign. I shook her hand and told her how much I love her book before going away feeling excited like how a schoolgirl has met her idol. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed so I couldn't take any of her. But of course you could have a look at...
I cannot wait to watch the movie now. Girls, if you don't wanna read her book, I would suggest you at least watching the movie!
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